Missile launcher shock absorber



J 1965 2. B. ANDREWS ETAL 3,167,294

MISSILE LAUNCHER suocx ABSORBER Original Filed Jan. 9, 1961 7 van? ZENAS B. ANDRE W5 CHARLES R. BROWN WILSON I PRICE ATTORNEY United States Patent M 3,167,294 MISSILE LAUNCHER SHOCK ABSORBER Zeuas B. Andrews, Los Altos, Charles R. Brown, Sunnyvale, and Wilson T. Price, Santa Clara, Calif., assignors,

by mesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Original application Jan. 9, 1961, Ser. No. 81,636, now

Patent No.- 3,089,389, dated May 14, 1963. Divided and this application July 27, 1962, Ser. No. 220,113

1 Claim. (Cl. 248358) This application is a division of US. application Serial No. 81,636, filed January 9, 1961, by the present appli cants, which has now become Patent No. 3,089,389, granted May 14, 1963.

The present invention relates generally to missile launchers and more specifically to means for isolating a missile from vibration.

With the advent of ballistic missiles came the need for a method of making the missile launching complex invulnerable to surprise attack by enemy missiles and aircraft. Without such invulnerability it would be possible for a ballistic missile capability to be completely destroyed before its missiles could be launched in a retalia tory action. Further, withoutv means to protect these launching complexes from destruction by enemy attack,

.they would be unable to fulfiill their primary role of a deterrent to a possible enemy surprise attack.

Accordingly, several expedients have been the subject of extensive research and development. The three most prominent methods are firstly, the hardening of launching sites, for example, building concrete silos below ground level; secondly, by launching the missile from an airborne aircraft; and thirdly, by launching the missile from a moving ship or land vehicle. This invention finds use primarily in missile launchers of the third category. However, it cannot be said that the invention is inapplicable to the other two categories as it is possible that such a device could be utilized in conjunction with the launching of any ballistic or guided missile.

Themissile launching systems which are mounted on vehicles usually are provided with a supply of missiles stored in a position which permits rapid firing. Such vehicles may have a tube-type launching system which includes one or more missile launching tubes, each having a missile positioned therein. The tube acts as a storing and conveying means as well as a launcher. Because these vehicles from time to time are subjected to substantial structural stressing and consequent structural flexing, the tube systems may comprise an outer tube which resiliently supports an inner tube in which the missile is positioned. The primary function of this dual tube system is to protect the missile from severe shocks generated by means other than the vehicle, for example, the depth charging of a submarine. To absorb these severe shocks, preloaded liquid springs may be used to support the inner tube within the outer tube. These springs are preloaded to such an extent that they normally act as a rigid connection between the inner and the outer tubes. Consequently, vehicle induced vibrations are not attenuated by the liquid springs but, to the contrary, are amplified as they pass through the missile launcher structure to the missile itself. The missile guidance system as Well as many other missile components cannot withstand any substantial vibration without being adversely affected thereby. Consequently, these vibrations become a limiting factor in the performance of a vehicle launched missile system. Since these vibrations are primarly generated by vehicle movement, the speed of the vehicle must be substantially restricted in order to prevent vibration damage to the missile and its components. Restricting the speed of such a vehicle, obviously, greatly reduces its invulnerability.

3,167,294 Patented Jan. 26, 1965 Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a means to protect a missile from launcher induced vibrations.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a means which will attenuate vibrations.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the lower portion of the shock absorbing means illustrated in FIG. 1.

In FIGS. land 2 is shown a missile support ring 31. The support ring 31 is resiliently secured to the lower end of the tube 16 by the flexure rod assembly 32, as best seen in FIG. 1. More specifically, the flexure rod 33 is securely andrigidly fastened by any conventional means 34 to the lower portion 35 of the inner tube 16. An elongated tubular shaped flexure rod housing 36 projects downwardly from the support ring 31 and is, as shown in FIG. 1, an integral part of the support ring 31. The flattened surfaces 42 at the extreme end of flexure rod 33 are suitable to receive a tool for the purpose of rotating the flexure rod in order to thread the upper end of the flexure rod into the lower end of the inner tube. Obviously, should another conventional fastening means be utilized for securing the flexure rod to the inner tube flattened surfaces 42 may become unnecessary.

To absorb or attenuate the vibrations in the vertical direction the present invention provides a vibration-absorbing system in conjunction with the flexure rod assembly 32. At the lower end of the flexure rod 33 is mounted member 41 having an inverted T-shaped cross section. Member 41 can obviously be an integral part of the flexure rod or can be fastened thereto by conventional means, as shown in FIG. 2. Inverted T-shaped member 41 has a flange 43 projecting outwardly therefrom at its lower portion. At the outermost portion of the flange 43 is a projection 44 which is operable to contact the member 45. As will be described hereinafter, a substantially donut shaped member 47 composed of a vibration absorbing material is positioned around the member 41, as shown in FIG. 2. An inverted cup-shaped member 45 is positioned above the vibration absorbing material in the manner shown also in FIG. 2. The cup-shaped member 45 has side portions 48 which restrain the outward lateral movement of the vibration absorbing material. The inverted T-shaped member 41 has side portions 49 which are operable to restrain the inward lateral movement of the vibration absorbing material. Bolt means 51 project through the flange portion 43, the vibration absorbing material 47, and the cup-shaped member 45, and into the lower portion of the flexure rod housing 36. Bolt means 51 threadedly engages only the lower portion of the flexure rod housing 36. Shims or spacers 52 are provided in order that the present invention might be readily adapted to existing equipment.

In operation, vibrations are transmitted from the inner tube 16, through the flexure rod 33 to the flange 43, the vibration absorbing means 47 attenuates these vibrations thereby prohibiting their transmission to the flexure rod housing 36, and the support ring 31. Thus, it will be understood that there is no rigid metallic connection between the flexure rod 33 and the flexure rod housing 36. That is, there is no rigid connection between the flange or metallic sponge 'material attenuates or damps these vibrations. When the assembly is subjected to ypres entfinvention,are possibie' in "the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beiunderstoodthat within """the" scope of the a'pPendedclainithe inventio'ri"maybe' tional vibration absorbing material, for example,rubber I serve shocksthe inverted cup-shapedinember 45 moves 7 downwardly with respect to the flange member 43{until side portions, 48 bottom against the projection 44' on the flange 43. In this bottomed position thevibration absorbing material is'subs-tantially inoperative and the connection between the flexurerod-BS and its housing 36 is substantially a rigid connection; -Whenbottomed; the

flexure rod' is'ioperable to absorb severesh'ock by allowing the support ring '31 to move laterallywith respect to the inner .tube 16. Thus; when the assemblyis subjected to severe shock, the vibration absorbing material advan tageouslyreduces the jerk which occurs when the members 45 andprojection 44 are 'suddenlyfbottomed afterwhich the support ring-31' i'sperniittied' to movezlateral ly,

i:e;,-in pendulu'in fashion; by the bending of 'flexure rodv I While the invention has been describ ed witli reference 7 to ;a ballistic missile 'firingsubm'arine, it isfcapable "or being used in conjunction with any missile firing vehicle.

The present 'invention' enables such a vehicle to move at speeds which" are unrestricted byve'hicle generatedvvibra tions.

7 "Obviously many modifications. and variations of the practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is'claimed is: j

A' resilient vibration absorbing device comprising a flexure'rod; a tubular shaped flexure rod housingdisposed about said rod, a flange mounted on the firstend of said rod, a shoulder provided on saidflange a cup -rnernber attachedtofsaid rod housing, said cup'member being disposed f-or mating relationship with saidgflange' thereby ,p'ermitting'abutment thereof against said shoulder, a plurality of bolts slidably disposed throu'ghfsaid flange and secured to said rod housing vibration absorbing material interposed. between said cup member and said flange in a manner to absorb vibrations and whereby said shoulder limits the movement of saidflan'ge towardsaid housingby abutting said cup member," and isaid bolts function to limitsthe movement of said flangeaway frornlsaid housingv and whereby said vibration: absorbing: material dampens vibrations" being: transmitted between said rod and said rod housing. m 7

' References Cited by the" Examiner UNI'TED'STATES'PATENTS 2, 13,396; 11/57, f Kress- 248 3 58 X 3,030,59 3/63 Orner V V '267,-,-1

r LA DE A E ROY, Primary Examiner. 

